You must prove that the victim was present at a 9/11 crash site, in the VCF NYC Exposure Zone, or along the routes of debris removal during the timeframes below to be eligible for compensation. The 9/11 crash sites and timeframes are:
- The World Trade Center or the surrounding New York City (NYC) Exposure Zone between September 11, 2001, and May 30, 2002;
- The Pentagon site between September 11, 2001, and November 19, 2001; or
- The Shanksville, Pennsylvania site between September 11, 2001, and October 3, 2001.
Most claimants prove their presence by providing documents to the VCF. The VCF works with many employers, unions, and other entities to help claimants get the documents they need to prove where they were and when they were there.
Use our Interactive Presence Guide to learn what documents you need based on your unique circumstances.
Things to know about the Interactive Presence Guide:
- It will only take a few minutes. At the end, you can print details of what you will need to prove your presence.
- Submitting the documents recommended by the guide does not guarantee that you will be found eligible. We will review everything you send us and contact you if we need more information.
- Do not submit more than the Presence Guide suggests. Submitting additional documents that the VCF does not require will slow down the processing of your claim.
- The guide does not store any of your information. You may use the guide as many times as needed.
INTERACTIVE PRESENCE GUIDE
Need more guidance? Review the VCF Policies and Procedures, starting at Section 1.5, to learn more about presence eligible locations, timeframes, and documentation.
Do you know other individuals who might be eligible for VCF compensation? You can help by sharing resources from our website or working with our staff to provide information to your community.
To contact the VCF for assistance in outreach to your community, email: VCF.outreach@usdoj.gov.
To find resources that you can use to help spread awareness, visit our Outreach page.